Falkner
by Corrector9Yui
Summary: UPDATED WITH PART 2!! Feels like a rushed ending... Should I continue from here? Oh, I upped the rating because this part is kind of... violent...
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Yes, I do this before all of my stories start. The main char. In this short fanfic is Falkner, the Violet gym leader. I dreamed this up and it is soooo sad… I had to write it down!! I do not own this character, nor do I own Pokemon or anything existing in it. Okay? Good. Now I can start writing it!!  
  
Falkner  
  
The little boy was 16 months old, barely speaking yet. He hardly knew how to crawl. He didn't understand life yet… he couldn't know that his father was dying.  
  
Kari stood beside the bed of white, looking down into the fading eyes of her loved one. "You can't leave me now," she sobbed, allowing the tears to fall freely. "Please, Cloud…"  
  
Cloud gazed up; watching each icy clear droplet fall to what would be his deathbed. "Take this," he said, pointing to the Pokemon ball that was sitting on the table beside him. "It's the one I just caught… Give it to Falkner, when he's old enough…"  
  
These words were his last. The monitor, which was beeping slowly seconds ago, now sounded a shrill, continuous tone. "Cloud…" Kari sighed, clutching the Pokemon ball close to her heart. "I love you…"  
  
  
  
"I'm very sorry," the nurse said, handing the small child back to Kari.  
  
"It's all right," Kari responded. "There's really not much you could have done… sadly."  
  
"You can leave now, if you want to," said the green-haired nurse that had been attending to Falkner. "You'll be planning the memorial, I trust?"  
  
"Right," she said. "Come on, sweetie, time to go home now."  
  
"Ba," cooed little Falkner, trying to take the strange ball from his mother's hand.  
  
"No, no, not for you," she said gently, placing it in her purse. "At least not yet."  
  
**************************************************  
  
The wind was blowing sharply that Saturday. The small, seven-year-old boy ran out ahead of his mother, holding the kite in his left hand. With a flick of his wrist, and a few steps back, the silver and blue kite was released into the breeze.  
  
"Look, Mommy!" Falkner cried, pointing in amazement. "It's flying!"  
  
"Yes," she replied, smiling at the Pidgey perched on her shoulder.  
  
"I want to fly too! Just like Pidgey and the kite!" he announced. "Someday, I want to train bird Pokemon, and fly together with them!"  
  
Kari sighed, half out of happiness, but half out of sorrow. "Your father was the same way," she told him. "He was the greatest trainer of Flying-type Pokemon ever."  
  
"Better than you, Mommy? But you're the Violet Gym Leader!" exclaimed Falkner.  
  
"I took over for him when he… when he died," Kari stammered. Falkner looked down at his feet, but soon his gaze trailed back up to the fascinating kite.  
  
"I'll be just as great as you… and Daddy!" he said, his black hair blowing in the wind.  
  
Kari smiled. "That's not hard to believe," she sighed.  
  
  
  
Five years passed quickly. Falkner and Kari lived in peace; Kari watched Falkner grow up, and as he matured, she was shocked to find that he was exactly like his father. His heart was truly kind, and he was friendly toward all wild Pokemon and not just his mother's. He enjoyed the hang- gliding lessons his mother gave him more than anything… he explained to her so many times that he loved being up there so close to the clouds.  
  
The day came when Falkner had his first Pokemon battle. Kari captured a wild Pidgey outside of Violet City, and it was given to Falkner as a gift for his twelfth birthday. He battled another rookie trainer who had come to Violet to battle Kari… and she was astounded at his prowess in battle. He was very serious, and seemed to want to win very badly; he was exactly like Cloud down to a tee. Unfortunately, he lost the battle, and he was very disappointed… but Kari soon avenged him by defeating the young trainer.  
  
"Sorry. Come back when you're a little more experienced, and maybe you can win your gym badge then," she said as she shooed the little girl out the door. Immediately after, she turned to Falkner.  
  
"I was very impressed today, sweetie," she said.  
  
"Why? I lost," Falkner sulked, holding the Pidgey's Pokemon ball. "I'm not good enough to be the gym leader here."  
  
These words almost made Kari take her hand back and slap him. "Falkner! That is not true! You are so much like your father… I watch you every day and I can tell you're going to be just like him!"  
  
"Are you sure?" Falkner asked intently, again staring at his only Pokemon's ball.  
  
"Very sure," Kari returned, hugging her son lovingly. "Don't worry. Of course a Pidgey that has no experience is going to lose its first battle. It will get stronger… and someday it will be a Pidgeot that will be your loyal Pokemon for life."  
  
Falkner smiled at his Pokeball. "Thanks, Mom," he said.  
  
Of course, every tale has to have a twist to it… something that happens to dramatically change a life forever. That change came to Falkner's life when he was almost thirteen… two more months and he could officially become a Gym Assistant. After his mother passed, he would be the Violet City Gym Leader. Kari had planned to train him to the best of her ability, and leave him the gym when he was older, and more responsible.  
  
But then, the cancer hit.  
  
Kari was struck with a case of breast cancer that she had carried for over three years without noticing it. She went in for a checkup one day and came back with the news that she had about a 30% chance of living through the surgery she had to take. She might die through that… but if she didn't go through it she would just die anyway… slowly.  
  
Falkner was sleepless for the entire week before Kari's surgery. He could almost feel what was going to happen… and all he could do was cry. Cry, holding Pidgey's Pokemon ball against his damp cheek, trying to comfort himself. Eventually he cried himself to sleep, in the waiting room of the hospital; by the time he woke up, the nurses were telling him that his mother's surgery was over.  
  
"Is she okay?" Falkner shouted as he stood up, rapidly shaking the sleepiness out of his bloodshot eyes.  
  
"She's in critical condition now but the cancer has been removed," one of the nurses informed. "She may live, but that's a big 'maybe.' Would you like to see her?"  
  
"YES!! Yes!" he shouted, startling a few other people in the waiting room. So the nurse led him to a small room at the end of what seemed like an endless corridor; Kari lay inside, on a bed of pearl-white.  
  
"MOMMY!" Falkner cried as he ran inside the dimmed room. "Are you feeling all right?"  
  
"I really… don't know…" she said slowly; he could tell that she was struggling to speak. There was something wrong… that energy that accompanied every word she said just wasn't there anymore. Her eyes weren't even the same… they were a deep green but they now resembled seaweed… it was like all the life had been drained from his mother.  
  
"What's going to happen?" he asked, not exactly expecting an answer.  
  
"I don't…. know…" she repeated. "The only… thing I'm sure… of is… take that."  
  
Kari pointed to another Pokemon ball on the bedside table. Falkner picked it up and held it. "What is it?"  
  
"That is… the Pidgey that… Cloud gave me before he… before he…"  
  
"I think I know," Falkner sighed. "Mommy… you can't leave me now!" he blurted.  
  
Kari sighed mournfully. Those were the same words she had said to Cloud... that day would be forever etched in her mind. "Falkner… I want you to carry on my duties as the Violet City gym leader," she said with one breath. She stopped, breathing deeply, and started again; "I… love you, Falkner. I know you won't… let me… down…"  
  
Kari's head turned, and her eyes slowly closed. Her chest was no longer rising and falling… breath had stopped. "Mommy…" Falkner whispered, dropping the Pokemon ball to the floor. "MOMMY!! WAKE UP!!!" 


	2. Part 2

Part 2  
  
Notes: Before I begin, I would like to address a certain review I received, from someone who obviously has too much time on their hands:  
  
"Somebody You Don't Know" comments:  
  
Hey loser why would a thirteen year-old say 'mommy'? I sure as hell don't!  
  
Well… If you really want to go nitpicking through the story like that and pick out one little thing you disapprove of to ruin it for yourself, then by all means go right ahead. But don't flame me for something you find different! I am almost sixteen and I still call my mother Mommy! Besides, if you had read the story closely enough, his mother was dying… He was worried! He was distressed! Do you actually expect him to walk in there all calmly and go, "Hey, Mom!" So… Please, do NOT send me useless flames. I WILL get you back. *evil music and laughter*  
  
But anyway, I will not let this ruin the story for everyone else who wrote me such nice reviews!! Thank you!! ^^ Please enjoy Chapter 2!!  
  
  
  
They closed the Violet City gym for a short time… not just because Falkner was too weak to battle; because he was devastated. His mother was gone, and all he was left with was a big empty gym and two Pidgeys. They hadn't even had that much money. There was nothing for him to do, nowhere for him to go.  
  
Falkner stayed under the care of his aunt Keri for a few weeks. Keri was from his mother's side of the family and she was almost as crushed as Falkner was. Even though they were both mourning over Kari's death, Keri did help Falkner train his Pokemon. By the time he was allowed to go back to the gym, the Pidgey that his mother had captured had evolved into Pidgeotto, and his father's Pidgey was at a pretty high level too. Now he was strong enough to be a Gym Leader.  
  
Weeks into his leadership, Falkner received an invitation to a convention being held in Goldenrod City. It was a gathering especially for gym leaders; Falkner immediately decided to go. He spent the next week training very hard and getting ready for his first gym leader party, and when the day came, he was psyched and ready to go.  
  
Goldenrod City was a huge city, way bigger than Falkner's hometown. He entered the party hall… there were already quite a few people there. Whitney, a 13 year old girl, was there with her mother, who was the leader of the Goldenrod City gym. She was the one to greet Falkner when he came in.  
  
"Where are your parents?" she asked. "You're way too young to be a gym leader yet!"  
  
"I am a gym leader!" Falkner argued. "I'm probably a stronger trainer than you are!"  
  
"Well…" Whitney was speechless; she stared at Falkner, and ran off crying.  
  
"Good one," said another voice. "She's annoying. She's been flirting with me all day."  
  
Falkner turned around to see another boy his age; he was wearing a blue T-shirt with a gym badge pinned to it, and blue jeans that were too long for him. His blonde hair was spiked and styled with a blue headband.  
  
"Oh yeah, my name's Morty," said the boy.  
  
"I'm Falkner, the Violet Gym leader," he said.  
  
"Really? Cool," Morty said. "My dad says I can't have the gym until I'm sixteen. He says I'm not strong enough yet."  
  
"That sucks," Falkner said. "It's not that great being a gym leader. All you do is stand around and wait for people to come and battle you. It's boring."  
  
"I still want to be a gym leader!" Morty exclaimed. "Ecruteak City's gym leader gets to go into the Tin Tower! And I get to hear all these cool stories that I can pass down to the people in my gym!"  
  
"Wow," Falkner said. "Your parents must be pretty great…"  
  
"Yeah…" Morty said. "You're not the one whose mom just died…?"  
  
"In the flesh," Falkner said. Morty sighed softly. "Oh," he said. "I'm really sorry."  
  
"It's okay," he said. "I guess after a while, you learn not to miss them… as much."  
  
Later on, Falkner was hanging out around the back of the hall. He was alone, and bored. Almost all of the other young gym-leaders-to-be were with their parents… and Falkner was left in the shadows. He almost didn't even want to be there.  
  
"Hey... what's up?" asked a young voice to Falkner's side. Standing there was a small boy with short, purple hair.  
  
"Oh… Nothing," he said. "Just.. being bored. My name's Falkner."  
  
"Bugsy," said the young boy. "Hey, if you're bored, we could have a battle."  
  
Falkner looked at the boy; he couldn't have been older than 10. "You have Pokemon?" he asked, astonished.  
  
"Of course!" Bugsy said. "I started training just a little while ago, so I only have one. But it's already powerful."  
  
"All right, then," Falkner said, holding Pidgeotto's Pokeball. "Let's battle, then."  
  
Bugsy backed up a few steps, and took out his only Pokeball. "Beedrill, go!" he said, tossing the ball at his feet.  
  
"Pidgeotto!" Falkner called. His first Pokemon, the majestic evolved form of Pidgey, came out to face the huge wasp-thing. 'This should be fun,' Falkner thought to himself. 'Aren't bugs weak against flying types?'  
  
"Beedrill, start with Tackle!" Bugsy said. Pidgeotto, blocked the wasp's charge with its wings, but it was still pushed backward a bit. Pidgeotto countered with its Wing Attack, but Beedril was too evasive. It quickly moved, and knocked Pidgeotto back some more.  
  
"Pidgeotto, you'd better fly," Falkner said. His Pokemon was getting too close to him, and if that Beedrill tackled Pidgeotto once more, both of them might get hurt.  
  
"Okay, Beedrill, Twineedle attack!" Bugsy said. But the command came just a second too late. As Beedril flew forward with one of its silver stingers pointed ahead, Pidgeotto flew up into the air. And Beedrill couldn't stop.  
  
Falkner saw a yellow blur, and then felt an incredibly sharp pain cut through his right eye. He threw his hand over his bleeding face as the Pokemon pulled away.  
  
"Oh, God!" Bugsy said, running forward. "Are you okay…?"  
  
"Stay back!" Falkner demanded, crying from one eye and bleeding from the other. Immediately all eyes were on him, and everyone in the building rushed over to see what was going on. There was much commotion; people were talking, screaming… but over it all you could hear the bird trainer's cries of agony, and the distressed calls of his Pidgeotto. It soon quieted when he blacked out.  
  
  
  
Falkner woke up much later, inside of a totally white room. Light shone through the windows… it was obviously daytime but Falkner didn't know what time it was… or even what day. There was no way of telling how long he'd been out.  
  
Then, he remembered his eye. He was a bit scared, but slowly he lifted his hand to examine the wound. All of the skin around his eye felt dead and dry… it didn't even feel like his eyelids were attached. Slowly, with his wrist shaking like a startled Chihuahua, he touched the tip of his finger to the eye. Sure enough, there was no protective layer of skin. His finger touched what seemed to be cold glass.  
  
"What the…?" he whispered. He sat up, looking around the room. Vision was completely distorted in his right eye. He stood up, walking nervously to a mirror across from his bed. Glancing inside, he saw his reflection; but definitely not something he wanted to see. The right side of his face was almost totally red, and the skin within half an inch of his eye was dark and scarred. And his eye… it wasn't even really there anymore. A glass replacement glistened before him; shiny and beautiful, yet false and empty.  
  
Falkner was completely speechless. "I look… terrible," he said to himself, holding a shaking hand over his face. "How could this happen?"  
  
A tear dripped from his left eye… he wiped it away, and then the others that followed. His right side was dry. "God, I can't even cry," he sighed, slipping down to his knees. "I can't even be sad anymore…"  
  
Just then, a doctor came into the room, holding a clipboard. She saw Falkner sitting on the ground, sobbing mournfully. "Falkner, you should be in bed," she said.  
  
"Why?" he asked. "I probably can't even close my eye to sleep."  
  
"Falkner, that's…"  
  
"Look at this!" he yelled, standing to face her and pointing up at his destroyed face. "Do you see any tears? I don't! Do you see any use for me anymore?"  
  
The lady-doctor sighed. "Calm down," she said softly. "Your face will heal. After a while, you'll look good as new!"  
  
"And how long will that take, huh?" Falkner demanded. "Five years? Ten? And what about my eye? That will never heal!"  
  
"Falkner…"  
  
"I'm a freak!" he sobbed. "An ugly, useless freak." The doctor just shrank back a bit, watching the disgruntled boy from the doorway. She sighed, not exactly sure what to say anymore.  
  
  
  
The years passed by slowly after that incident. Falkner had been almost fourteen when he had lost half of his sight… now, he was nearly seventeen, and still dealing with himself. Of course, all of the wounds had nearly healed (not saying there weren't a few scars). But emotional scars don't usually leave you so quickly. Sometime, they stay with you forever.  
  
And then, there was the evidence. The glass eye… He had to look at it every morning when he got up… every day of his life, he was reminded. After a while, he had started styling his hair over his eye so that he couldn't see it… but sometimes it still showed through. And he could still feel it.. he still couldn't see through that eye. When he got headaches, he could even feel the pain of that night all over again. It was excruciating, and very difficult to live with. But he had made a promise to himself… to be the best Gym Leader he could be, and take care of the Pokemon for his mother and father. And he would do it… it just felt to him like there was no reason to keep going. Almost everything he valued in his life had been drained from him. And he had no incentive to go on.  
  
On a dark evening, Falkner was wandering through the grasses outside of Violet City. A couple of Hoot-hoot and Spinarak were running around, but other than that there was nobody else around. He was so depressed… there was almost no feeling left in his heart. He just wanted it to end.  
  
So many thought raced through his mind. He considered killing himself right then… he didn't know how he would do it, but he considered it. But he was scared… scared of what it would be like, to feel the same pain that his parents had suffered. Would it hurt for hours before it ended, like it had when he had been blinded? Or would it be quick and peaceful, like going to sleep… there was only one way to find out.  
  
"Excuse me," said a voice suddenly. Falkner, who was bent over thinking, looked up and into the eyes of a brown-eyed girl. Her long blonde hair fell around her shoulders, and she looked almost like an angel with her light blue clothes.  
  
"Wait… Am I dead already?" he asked, looking at her.  
  
The girl laughed. "No, silly, you're not dead… unless I'm going crazy," she said. "What are you doing out here?"  
  
"Why do you want to know?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
"I don't know. You just don't seem in place here. Shouldn't you be inside?"  
  
"Look, I don't know who you are, but…"  
  
"My name is Lunaria," she said. "Now… who are you, and why are you so out of it?"  
  
Falkner started to protest, but Lunaria stopped him. "Don't even say it. I know there's something wrong."  
  
"Are you… reading my thoughts, or something?" he asked strangely.  
  
Luna just smiled. "Tell me what's up."  
  
Falkner went on to tell her his name, and everything that was on his mind. He hadn't intended to give her his whole life story, but he felt so calm around her. She seemed so trustworthy… After he finished explaining, the girl was almost in tears.  
  
"I'm so sorry I forced that out of you," she said sadly. "I didn't know…"  
  
"It's all right," he said. But she continued sobbing, embracing his shoulders. He found himself blushing, but he shook it off and held her. "It's okay, Luna," he said. "I don't think I want to die anymore."  
  
She looked up at him, confused. "But five minutes ago, you were…"  
  
"I feel better," he said. "Thank you for talking to me."  
  
"Um… Yeah, no problem," Luna said.  
  
Falkner then said goodbye, and just left to go back to his gym. What had he been thinking? If that girl hadn't been out there at the same time he was… he probably wouldn't be thinking these thoughts right now. He poked at his implant, trying to blink but not having much success. It would be hard to live with this handicap for the rest of his life. But it would have to be dealt with… besides, there was so much more to live for. He had to keep his parent's gym. And… maybe he had a chance to finally fall in love. 


End file.
